Saw on NOAA a ten knot wind later in the day on Jordan Lake (North Carolina). I really didn't feel like yard work so I packed up my trailer, and went sailing. I flew two dacron sails at Farrington Point, in a good wind for me ... I'm just starting to re-learn the finer points of windsurfing. I have two clasifications of boards ... the old-old board (Pan Am style fiberglass with windsurfer rig), and the new-old board (original windsurfer), and I sailed both. It was a good wind day for me, but I'll now have to repair my Original Windsurfer board, as the nose of the board (which was already cracked) cracked worse, and a piece of foam broke off. I've downloaded a piece on repairing this board, but any experience from anyone here would be greatly appreciated.
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Bruce Munson
windsurfing old school (teak booms) since 1979
Chapel Hill, NC

Hey Bruce,
Sounds as though you are having fun despite the age of your gear. Have you got any pictures of your gear?

Pat

still on the digital card (I will post after I browse through them)... I don't sail the teak anymore, but still have the original booms and mast step. I have an original windsurfer (non retractable centerboard) ... that's the one that cracked (damn). The other board I believe was built in the Annapolis area by Ron Steele (and another windsurfer who I believe died windsurfing in the 80's) in the early to mid eighty's. It is fiberglass over foam, heavy, and long @13'. Even though it is a heavier board, I believe the long board is faster, but it is a real tippy beast ... the stern is only 10" wide and squared off, I will take some pictures, and post soon.

Bruce
Blue & Green Windsurfer sail #113020
Chapel Hill, NC USA

Hey Bruce, great story. Yes, fun to be had is about the sailor, not the gear. Plus skills and balance acquired on longboards apply to other, shorter boards as well. And it's sportier - more outings, more cardio is used, and so on.

Here's a link to a recent outing of mine with teak booms in strong wind. Did my best, was fun. http://www.forum.lbwindsurfing.com/longboard-discussion/fun-outing-with-oldest-possible-equipment-t482.html

Here's a link to fixing your type of Windsurfer (warning: he makes it sound complicated, but it's not really.)

http://www.surfboardbuilding.com/Repair/One_Design_Fix/one_design_fix.html

Pay particular attention to you the "emptying of water" section. The capillary thing works, takes time, that's all.

Another option for you is to not bother, sail it until it takes too much water for you to carry around (it will always float and sail). During that time (1 year? 2 years?), look at Kijiji and Craigslist and other free ads in your area, but not eBay. In the course of, say, a year, you are almost guaranteed to find a whole new board-sail for $100 and a good board alone for perhaps $25.

Please feel free to ask further questions and/or open threads on this site.

More from the board repair incurred from this last outing

After drying the board for a couple of weeks, and fabricating a new nose piece for the board I am ready to start epoxying. I'll post pictures of before and after, and my experience with the epoxy process. I did buy a piece of 1/4" lauan, and fabricated a piece to fit into the broken nose of the board for added structural strength, and improved adhesion of the epoxy to the board.

Bruce
Blue & Green Windsurfer sail #113020
Chapel Hill, NC USA

here are a couple of pictures from the last time out on these two tired boards ... next post I'll post pictures of the repairs as they progressed.

The original windsurfer

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k229/ ... surfer.jpg

the pan am style board

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k229/ ... eboard.jpg